US2483281A - Switching system - Google Patents

Description

Se t, 27, 1949.

v D! L. HERR SWITCHINQ- SYSTEM 7 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 17, 1 947 79 flmzaldL-Herr,

ATTOHW Sept. 27, 1949. D. L. HERE! 2,483,231

' V SWITCHING SYSTEM 7 Filed Sept. 17, 1947 v I "r Sheets-SheetS I my;

Arrmrm Sept. 27, 1949. D. L. HERR 2,483,281

SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 17, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.5

llllll uni-1mm I v JINVENTOR.

flvlmldbfiezz;

HTTQHAHZ'Y Sept. 27, 1949. o. 1.. HERR SWITCHING SYSTEM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 \T s. INVENTOR.

Filed Sept. 17, 1 947 P 1949. o. L. HERR 2,483,281

SWITCHING SYSTEI Filed Sept. 17, 1947 Sheets-Sheet 6 RELAYS A5 TO H3 SUPPLY INVENTOR DonaldLHarz;

BTTQRATY Sept. 27, 1949. D. L. HERR SWITCHING SYSTEM 7 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed Sept. 17, 1947 INVENTOR. flazzald L. Hen;

Patented Sept. 27, 1949 SWITCHING SYSTEM Donald L. Herr, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Control Instrument Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 17, 1947, Serial No. 774,613

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in switching systems and has particular reference to a system for automatically controlling the selective interconnection between various instrumentalities.

It has been the practice in difierent types of switching systems, to utilize a mutiplicity of instruments, some of which may control the operation of others, and to provide for manually establishing interconnection between said instrumentalities whereby any one or more of them may be operatively connected to any of the others.

The present invention proposes an improved switching system wherein diversified interconnection between instrumentalities is accomplished by the arbitrary selection of any one of a plurality of control elements each having different media for identifying one of a plurality of combinations of instrument interconnections, and by causing the selected element to automatically control the establishment of the desired connection.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions, one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings; but it is to be expressely understood that said drawings are employed merely to facilitate the description of the invention as a whole and not to define the limits thereof, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a switching system embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a selector mechanism employed in connection with the present system;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of said mechanism showing the parts at an intermediate stage of the operation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with parts in the position shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, somewhat similar to Fig. 4, illustrating the mechanism in position after a selecting operation has been completed;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 68 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a portion of the drive mechanism for the selector;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the selector mechanism showing the banks of switch contacts and the means for controlling the same;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12, when taken together with Fig. 11 arranged below Fig. and Fig. 12 to the right of Fig. 11, show diagrammatically the circuits involved in the system; and

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a selector device employed to transmit signals to said selector mechanism.

The invention is herein described in its adaptation to a switching system in which one of its functions is to establish various combinations of generator-load interconnections, but it will be apparent as this description progresses that the invention, without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, is applicable to other switching systems, for example, wherein synchro transmitters and receivers may be coupled together or directors of a gunnery fire control system may be selectively connected to various gun mounts; and, in fact, to any system in which interconnection may be established between various instrumentalities, whatever their nature, through different selectable channels.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is conventionally indicated a switchboard [5 wherein is contained a plurality of switching devices which may be motor driven multi-position switches of a type exemplified in the co-pending application of Edward Lohse, Serial No. 773,834, filed September 13, 1947, and which operate through their various positions, to establishdifierent channels of communication. Thus, in the example shown, any number of instruments 16a I61) and H50, which may be generators for example, are connected to the switchboard through cables [1, and a like or different number of other instruments l8a, [8b and I80, such as loads, are also joined to said switchboard by cables It] so that through the proper setting of the switches above referred to, it is possible to selectively interconnect any combination of said instrumentalities.

In conformity with the present invention, it is proposed to establish said interconnections by controlling, from a point or points remote from the switchboard, the automatic selection, from a plurality of control elements, of one element which has identifying media thereon individual to the desired instrument combination, and to utilize the selection of said control element to activate the switch or switches at the board l5 necessary to complete the interconnection between the instruments of said combination. The number of control elements, and therefore the number of interconnections, is arbitrary and depends upon the requirements of the system in which they are employed. These elements are located in a control unit 20 which also contains the selector mechanism illustrated in Figs. 2 to 9 and which operates to select a control element required to establish the desired combination of instruments [6, l8. The establishment of this interconnection is effected through the medium of a transmission unit 2| joined to the unit 20 by the cable 22 containing the line voltage conductors. In said unit 2! are a number of groups of motorized rotary relays (see Fig. 11) equal to the number of groups of switch contacts contained in the banks of switches illustrated in Fig. 9, with each contact being individual to a relay. Again, the number of groups of switch contacts and relays may be varied in, accordance with the requirements of the system to which the invention is to be adapted. When any combination of said relays, depending upon the identifying media on one of the aforesaid control elements, is energized by the selection of said element, said relays will, over the transmission lines contained in the cable 23, activate the motor driven multi-position switches at the board |5 required to establish the desired instrument interconnection. Upon selection of any control element, a visual signal individual thereto and contained in the unit 24, will be energized and remain thusly until another selection of a control element is made.

In some systems, it may be desirable to effect the selection of a control element at the unit 29 from any one of a plurality of remotely connected substations, 251, 252, etc. through a station selector switch 26 which may be manually controlled and which, together with the units 20, 2| and 24, may be located at a main station designated as 21. A control element selector 28 having a plug 29 is adapted to be connected to an outlet at any one of said substations and, by telephonic or other means (not shown), information may be obtained from an attendant at the main station identifying the particular control element then in effect. Should a change in the set-up of the instruments l6 and I8 be desired, the attendant will cause the station selector 26 to be operated to connect a substation with the selector mechanism at the unit 20. The operator of the selector 28 at said substation will then press a key (see Fig. 13) individual to the control element required to establish such change, and this action will produce a signaling impulse over the conductor 29 which will initiate the operation of said selector mechanism.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the circuit arrangement of the system in its entirety, the construction and operation of the control element selector mechanism shown in Figs. 2 to 9 and located at the unit 20 will first be set forth.

This mechanism comprises a supporting base 3!] upon which are mounted two banks of switches generally indicated at 3| and 32. Each bank comprises any number of normally open switch contacts which may be required by the system and it is the closing of any of these contacts which energize a, motor driven relay contained in the transmission unit 2| and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11. Two perpendicular frames are secured to the base 3|! adjacent the ends of said banks of switches and have mounted thereon a stationary guide plate 36 which supports a horizontal frame 31. Outwardly of the end frames 35, the base 30 also supports two pairs of standards 38 utilized to guide a vertically movable press member or plate 39 which, as will presently appear, controls the closing of selected sets of contacts in the banks 3|, 32 in its downward movement and which is raised during an interval of the operation of the selector mechanism when any one of a plurality of stacked control elements 40 is being selected, there being six of such elements shown herein, one for an off position and the remaining five for making various instrument interconnections. Each element is in the form of a rectangular plate and is provided thereunder with a supporting holder 4| which is adapted to be reciprocated in a transverse direction to adjust its plate 40 from inoperative to operative position when it is selected for the control of contacts 3|, 32 individual thereto. In order that each plate will be shifted with its holder, the former is provided at each end with a longitudinal slot 42 (see Figs. 2 and '7) which receives a stud 43 carried by the holder. Said holders have struck therefrom along adjacent longitudinal edges the angular flanges 44 (Fig. 6) all of difierent lengths and, when the holders are stacked, the flanges of increasing length toward the top of the stack will project downwardly through the lower holders and will be longitudinally spaced for connection to a mechanism later to be described which will successively reciprocate the holders during the selection of one of the elements 40. To support the elements 40 and their holders in stacked position and for individual selection, the same are placed upon a base plate 45 mounted on the frame 31 above the plate 36 and, in order to prevent endwise shifting of the elements 40, 4|, vertical guide rollers 46 (Fig. 9) are carried by the frame 31 at each end thereof for contact with the end or transverse edges of said elements. After being so stacked, a removable weighted member 41, having end flanges 48 which engage with the ends of the frame 31, is placed in position over the stack and said member and flanges are provided with rollers 49 which then engage the top element 40 at its center end ends, whereby the stacked elements will be maintained in their respective horizontal planes at all times during the operation of the selector mechanism. By means of such construction, it will be apparent that the holders and their plates may be removed and other plates substituted whenever it is desired to obtain instrument interconnections other than those capable of being established by the removed plates.

Each element or plate 40 is individual to one combination of instrument interconnection I6, l8 and has means thereon for identifying the same, so that when said plate is selected by a shifting of its associated holder to an operative position, the plate will cause, as will presently appear, the closing of those switch contacts 3|, 32 necessary to energize the relays in the unit 2| which will position the switches on the switchboard |5 that establish the desired interconnection of instruments. The identifying media on each plate which control the operation of switches 3|, 32 comprises long and short slots 50 and 5| respectively, and the holder 4| for said plate is provided only with long slots 52 that are aligned with said slots 50, 5| so that when all the plates and holders are stacked the slots therein are in vertical alignment. The slots 5|], 5| of each plate are arranged in two rows, as shown in the top plate of Fig. 2, and the number of slots is equal to the number of switch contacts in the banks 3|, 32 which are, in turn, equal to the number of relays contained in the transmission unit 2|. Also, there is provided a switch operating or transfer device, generally indicated at 53, for each group of vertically aligned slots in the various plates and their holders, and said device is individual to one of the switch contacts in the banks 3| or 32, and is designed to close said contacts after the device is adjusted to its operative position by the appearance of short slots 5| in a plate 40 when the latter is shifted by its holder 4|. Each device 53 comprises the upper and lower pin sections 54 and 55 the former of which extends upwardly through the plates 36 and 45 and the associated vertically aligned slots 50, 5| and 52 in the elements 40 and their holders 4|. The sections 54, 55 are pivotally and slidably interconnected by a vertical slot 56 in the lower end of the section 54 which receives a pin 51 on the upper end of the section 55. The sections 54 of the various devices 53 are supported for sliding movement by flanges 58 engaging the plates 36 and 45 and, by reason of the transverse slots 59 in said plate 38, are capable of sliding move ment to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, against the tension of the return springs 6|] when the upper ends of the sections 54 are engaged by the ends of short slots 5| appearing in a plate 4|] which is being selected by a shifting of its holder 4| to the right. However, where long slots 59 appear in the selected plate 46, the shifting movement of the latter will be relative to the pin sections 54 which extend through said long slots, and no sliding movement of the latter pin sections will result. The lower section 55 of each device 53 is pivoted intermediate its ends to the press member 39, and when in its normal tilted position and with the press member lowered, the lower end of said section is disposed alongside its associated switch contact in the banks 3|,32 as shown at the left of Fig. 5.

The selection of a control member 40 is ac complished after the press member 39 has been elevated to the position of Fig. 4, and this elevation raises the pin sections 55 relative to their sections 54 by reason of the slot and pin connections 56, 51 therebetween, thus elevating the lower ends of the sections 55 to points above their associated contacts3l, 32. After the member 39 and sections 55 are thus raised and a control plate 40, for example the top one in Fig. 5, is selected by shifting the same and its holder 4| to the right as shown, wherever a short slot 5| appears in said plate with its left end engaged with the upper end of the pin section 54 projecting through said slot, the shifting of said plate will slide said section 54 to the right in its slot 59 thus causing the associated pin section 55 to be rocked about its pivot to a vertically aligned position with respect to its section 54 and directly over the set of switch contacts individual to the device 53 thus operated. The extent of shifting movement of the plate 40 and its holder 4| to the right is not sufficient to cause the long slots 59 in said plate to slide the upper pin sections 54 which extend therethrough, as will be seen at the left of Fig. 5. When the devices 53 have been thus operated, the press member 39 moves downwardly to carry with it all of the lower pin sections 55, and those which have been vertically aligned with their sections 54 are caused, by said downward movement, to engage with the upper contacts of the switchcontacts in the banks 3 32 so that said contacts will be closed when the press member has reached its lowermost position. Thus, depending upon the number of short slots appearing in the selected control plate 40 and their placement therein, a like number of switch contacts will be closed to energize the corresponding relays in the transmission unit 2| to initiate the establishment, as will later appear, of the particular instrument interconnection identified by the position of the short slots 5| in said control plate.

The sequence of operation of the selector mechanism is such that the press member 39 remains in its down position as long as a selection of a control member 40 is maintained and when another selection is initiated, the press member will begin its upward movement under the control of a press motor 6| to elevate the vertically aligned pin sections 55. Those which have been vertically aligned by a previous operation and engage with contacts 3|, 32 will, by reason of such elevation, permit such closed contacts to separate and thus open circuits for those relays in the unit 2| which had been operated by the previous selection of a control element. However, as will be seen from the following description of the circuits involving said relays, the opening of said closed contacts does not release the interconnection of instruments previously established by the closure there of until the press member 39 is again lowered to close other contacts in the switch banks 3|, 32 to initiate the establishment of a different interconnection. When said press member has reached the extent of its upward movement, as in Figs. 3 and 4, a cam motor 62 is energized through a circuit established by the press motor. as will later appear, and said motor 62 then operates a series of cams 63 to 68, one for each control plate 40, to successively shift the holders 4| and their control plates 40 until the desired one has been selected whereupon the cam motor is stopped by the opening of its energizing circuit,

with the selected control plate in its shifted position wherein it has operated to set one or mo e of the transfer devices 53 in their operative positions preparatory to closing the associated contacts in the banks 3|, 32. As soon as the cam motor 62 stops, it re-establishes an energizing circuit for the press motor which now resumes its rotation from the point where it was stopped until it has operated to restore the press member 39 to its lower position. The selected switch contacts are now closed and the corresponding relay or relays in the unit 2| are energized to initiate the establishment of the instrument interconnection identified by the selected control plate 45.

The operation and stopping of the press motor 6| is accomplished through a switch pile 59 in a manner to be later described in detail, and said motor is mounted on the base 30 by a suitable support 10. A longitudinally extending shai t H mounted in bearings 12 secured to the ends of said base 39 is driven by the shaft 13 of said motor 6| through worm gearing l4 and each end of said shaft ll carries a gear 15 meshing with a similar gear 16 on a stub shaft 11 supported in the adjacent bearing 12. Each stub shaft 11 carries a cam 18 (see Figs. 2 and 8) having an internal groove 19 for receiving a roller on one end of a lever 80 pivoted intermediate its ends on the adjacent frame 35 and having its other end connected to the press member 39 so that as the lever is rocked by an eccentric portion of the groove 19, said member 39 will be raised and lowered as previously described. In Fig. 3, the parts are shown in the positions attained just prior to the press member 39 reaching its uppermost position in which the motor 6| will be stopped while a selection is being made of a control plate 49. Upon movement of the cam 18 (Fig. 3) a slight distance farther, an external cam 8| thereon will operate the switch pile 69 to open the circuit for the motor 6| at the contacts 82, as will appear more in detail in the course of the description. The mo tor 6| then stops with said switch pile in reversed position and, after the proper control plate has been selected, said motor will again be energized to cause the cams 18 to rock the levers 83 in a re verse direction so that the press member 39 will be restored to its lower position to accomplish the function of closing the proper switch contacts in the banks 3|, 32. As is well understood, clutch mechanisms (not shown) may be utilized to stop the earns 63 to 68: andlllin: proper positionsnpon deenergization of. the respective motors 62. and GI.

When, in the sequence above. described, the press motor St is stopped and the cam. motor 82 is energizedthelatter will, through its shaft 83, drive the worm gearing 84: connectedto the countershaft 85.:mountedin bearings 86on: the base3ll'. Operation of said shaft will rotate the various cams 63 to 68 thereon, and as said cams are turned they will, at certainpoints in;their revolutions, operate the respective switch piles 8.1 to 92 for purposeswhich will later appear. Each of. the cams 63'to Ellis provided withan intemal groove 93 and the effective cam portions of: all said grooves are circumferentially:displaced relative to each other so that as the cams arerotated their respective grooves will successively controlthe rocking movements of associated bell cranks 94 pivoted. on a standard 95 on the base 30. The lower end of each bell crank has a roller engaging in the groove 93 of its cam, andits upper end is connected. to the flange 44' of one of the holders 4| so that as saidcam is rotated. its bell crank 94willbe rocked toreciprocate saidholder and the associated. control plate 40. The successive reciprocation of said holders continues until the one desired is in its operative or. shifted position, as shown at the top of Fig. 5. Upon reaching. such position,.the associated cam, for example the cam 68, will operate its switch pile 92 to openthe circuit for the cam motor 6.2which will then stop with the selected holder and controlplate in their right hand position wherein the transfer devices 53'actuated by the short slots 5| in said plate will then be in position toclose their respective switch contacts when the press member is lowered. Stopping of the cammotor GZreenergizes the press motor 6| to lower the press member 39 as previously mentioned. It is to be noted that as control plates are successively reciprocated by their respective cams 63 to 88, certain transfer devices 53 will momentarily assume operative positions under the control of the short slots 5! in said plates, but as the unwanted plates are returned to normal by the complete reciprocation of their holders, said operated devices 53 will also be restored by their springs Bflandthus the lower pin sections 55 of said devices will resume their tilted-positions.

Referring to Figs. 10 to 12, it will be seen that the switch wiper 96 of the substation selector 25 at the mainstation 21' is in position ,where in its movable contacts are in engagement with the vertical bank of terminals-individual to the substation which is designated in Figs. 1' and 10 as 25:; that the off key of the control element selector 28 (Fig. 13) is depressed and the correspondin switch pile 8! is operated; and that the contact wipers 91 and 98 (Fig. 12) of two multiposition motor-driven switches 99 and I located at the switchboard H: are engaged with terminals of said switches which are not connected, over the conductors lill. and H32 respectively, to the instruments l and I8. This is the condition causedby the depressionof the ofi" key of said selector 23 that resulted in the selection of the control element 40 which, by. its selection, effected the disconnectionoi all saidinstruments l5, l8; and said condition continues until another element 40 is selected by the depression of' one of the keys A toE and-said selection has resulted in the closure of the contacts in banks 3|, 32 which are individual to the newly selected'control element; The selector 28- is constructed-id any welliknown', manner so that only one keyicanbe canbemade. Six of. the horizontal rowseof. terminals in the substation selector 26. are identified similarly to the keys of the selector 28 and are each individual to one of the control elements, and the other two horizontal rows of terminals insaid'selector ZGare joined to the line conductors Ll: and1L2 connectedto a suitable source of cur.- rent (not shown) for. operating the system.

It will. now be assumed, for purposes ofillustration, that it is desired to establish an interconnection between certain instruments- IE; l8 through the medium. of a control plate Mlwhich is individual to the key A and to the toprow' of terminalssimilarly designated on the-selector 26, and: that the signal. or impulse for. such inter-- connection is to be transmitted from substation 251. After inserting the plug 29 into the outlet at said substation but before depressing the key A, telephonic or other connection. is established between the substation and the operator at the main station 2-! to ascertain which control: element. isthen in eifect, this being done under the assumption that a person other than the one who-selected the latter element is using a selector 28 different from that. employed in establishing the previous connection. Having been informed rat the system is in the Oh position, the person at substation 251 then requests that the operator at the main station connect the selector 26 to said substation, whereupon the switch wiper 96 is rotated by saidoperator so that itscontacts will engage the vertical set of-terminals individual to said'substation, that is, the first set appearing at the left in the drawing. Key A-may now be depressed to initiate the selection of the desired control plate iland, in doing so, any previously operated key in the particular selector 2'8 being used; will be restored.

Upon= operation of said'key A, a circuit is established for the press motor SI of the selector mechanism extending over the line conductor Ll and through the motor, the now closed contacts 82, the conductor I common to the switch piles BT to 92 associated with the cam motor 62, the closed contacts I05 of the switch pil'e 92, the conductor H31, bus liiil'of' the selector 26', the wiper I09 and terminal H0, thence through the plug and key contacts of the selector 28 connected to substation251, the conductor HI leading from I said substation, the terminal H2 of the selector 26, the-wiper H3 engaged thereby, bus 1 Hand then over the line conductor L2 connected to said bus. The motor 61' is energized in this circuit and, in rotating the cams T8 in a counterclockwise direction, causes the press membcr 39 to be raised'from its lowered position with the results previously described. Asthe cam 18' (Fig. 3) reaches the position shown, its external cam 8| engages with the arm of the switch pile 69 and a slight additional movement causes a reversal of the contacts of said pile to open' the energizing circuit for said motor at the contacts-82' and the motor then comes to rest. As said contacts 82 are opened; the contacts H Sofsaid'pile are closed; thereby establishing an energizing circuit for the cam motor STextending-ov-er the lineconduct'or LI and conductor IIB, through said motor 62, the closed contacts II5, the conductor I05, and from thence over the previously described circuit through the closed contacts I06, the selectors 2B and 29 and back to the line conductor L2. The motor 62 now drives the shaft 85 to rotate the series of cams '63 to 68 to successively reciprocate the holders 4| and their control plates 40 until the cam 68 individual to the desired control plate is actuated to reverse the contacts of the switch pile 92, thereby breaking the energizing circuit for the cam motor at the contacts I06 and thus stopping the motor with the selected control plate and its holder shifted to their operative position as shown in Fig. 5. During the rotation of the shaft 85 the cam 63 first permits restoration of the switch pile 81 which was reversed by a previous operation, and the other cams 64 to 61 then momentarily and successively reverse their respective switch piles 88 to 9| but this latter action has no effect upon the circuit since the terminals of the selector 26 joined to the latter switch piles are not connected to the substation which is now in use. Reversal of the switch pile 92 reestablishes an energizing circuit for the press motor 6| extendin over the line conductor LI and through the motor to the now closed contacts II! of the switch pile 69, the conductor II8, the closed contacts N9 of the switch pile 92, and from thence over the previously described circuit including the conductor I01 back to the line conductor L2. The motor 6| now operates until cam 8| on the cam 18 (Fig. 3) disengages from the arm of the switch pile 59 to permit it to restore and, in so operating, the two cams I restore the press member 39 to its lowered position to close the switch contacts in the banks 3|, 32 which have been selected by the selection of the control plate 40. Thereupon, said cams and the motor 6| come to rest. Restoration of the switch pile 69 closes the contacts I04 thereof to establish a signaling circuit to identify, at the main station 21, the control plate 40 now in use. This circuit extends over the line conductor LI through the contacts I04, the conductor I20, the closed contacts I2| on the switch pile 92, the lamp or other signal I22 and from thence over the conductor I23 to the line conductor L2. The signal I22 remains energized in this circuit until the switch pile 92 is restored by a subsequent operation.

In Figs. 11 and 12 there are shown, respectively, the circuits for one complete set of relays in the transmission unit 2|, and two multi-position switches 99 and I08 each of which is controlled by one set of said relays. As shown, the complete set of relays in Fig. 11 is connected to the switch H10, while the set serving the switch 99 is indicated at I24 and is a duplicate of the illustrated complete set. Also, at I25 there is shown a third group of conductors which would connect with a third set of similar relays if such were required to extend the system. Each of the switches 99, I00

comprises in addition to the actual switch sec.

tions thereon, two control sections I26, I21 containing eight sets of terminals AI to HI and A2 to H2, respectively, and each pair of terminals AI, A2, etc. has associated therewith one of the relays A3 to H3. Further, as shown in Fig. 11, there are two banks of switch contacts 3|, 32, also illustrated in Fig. 9, and said banks comprise, in all, twenty-four sets of contacts arranged in three groups of eight each, and designated as A4 to H4, A to H5, and A5 to H6, the first group being connected to the illustrated eight relays A3 to H3, the second group to the corresponding relays at I24 which control the switch 99, and the third group to a similar set of relays which may be connected to the conductors I25 for the control of still another multi-position switch indicated at I28 (Fig. 11) by the characters Al to HI and A2 to H2.

The circuits are illustrated in the on position which is assumed to have been previously effected, and it will now be further presumed that, in order to secure this position, a control element 40 was selected Which resulted in the closure of the switch contacts H4 and H5, with the consequent operation of the relay H3 and the corresponding relay in the group I24. The operation of these two relays controlled the switches 99, I00, as previously mentioned, to set their wipers 9T, 98 on the rows of terminals I29, I30, associated with the control terminals HI and H2 in both switches, thereby effecting the disconnection of all in struments I6 and I8 since said terminals I29, I30 are not connected to the conductors IBI, I92 and the latter are, therefore, not joined to the interconnecting buses I3| to which extend leads from the wipers 9T, 98.

With the above condition existing, the line conductor LI is connected, through the closed contact H4 and intermediate winding I32 of the auto-transformer I33 for the motor of relay H3, to the line conductor L2 in which is included the current limiting reactor I34; and said conductor LI is also connected through the closed contact I35 of said relay and the other intermediate winding I36 of said transformer, to the line L2. Therefore, said conductor LI being connected to equal and opposite voltages in the two windings I32, I36, the relay will remain in its operated position with its entire switch pile closed until the switch contact H4 is opened by the elevation of the engaged pin section 55 when the press member 39 is raised upon initiation of the selection .of another control element 40, as previously described. When said switch contact H4 is opened, the conductors LI and L2 will be connected in a circuit extending only through the transformer winding I35 and including the closed relay contact I35, thus inducing a voltage across all the windings of the auto-transformer to again energize the motor of relay H3 which continues to operate until the contacts of the relay switch pile are opened, whereupon said motor comes to rest. The same operation occurs in the corresponding relay in group I24 when the switch contact H5 is opened. The opening of contacts H4, H5 do not, as previously mentioned, disturb the positions of the switches 99, I since the conductors I31, I38 leading from the control terminals HI, H2 of the respective switches are not connected to any of the contacts of the switch piles of said relays. Hence, any condition existing between instruments I6, I9 will continue until the selection of another control element 40 has been completed and the proper switch contacts in the banks 3|, 32 have been closed.

It will now be assumed that the selector mechanism of Figs. 2 to 9 has been operated to select a control element 40, such as the one at the top of Fig. 5, having two short slots 5| therein which will operate the switch contacts G4 and A5 in the banks 3|, 32. The closure of these contacts will result in the interconnection of instrument Ito with all three instruments 8a, lab and I80, as will now be described.

Upon closure of the switch contact G4, the relay G3 will be energized over a circuit extending from conductor Ll through said contact, the winding I39 of the auto-transformer I33 associmon buses I3 I.

1 1'4 ated with said relay, the motorthereof, and'back through the transformer windings I40 and I36 to the conductor L2. Said motor now operates until the contact I35 closes, whereupon conductor LI is connected to both transformer windings I32 and I36, as previously described in connection with the relay H3, and the motor will stop with all contacts of the relay switch pile closed. It will be noted that, in addition to the contact I35, each relay G3, etc. is provided with two other groups I40, I4| of seven contacts each, with the groups I40 and MI connected, respectively, to leads X and Y of the three-phase source of supply indicated at I42 and to various conductors of the common groups I43 and I44, with the exception of the conductors I45 and I46 therein. These latter conductors are connected to the control terminals GI and G2 of the switch I and said terminals are therefore not energized. However, all of the seven remaining terminals .Al, A2, etc. of said switch are energized by closure of the-contact groups I46, MI and their connection to the leads X and Y, and with the switch wipers I41 now on the terminals HI, H2, the motor I48 of the switch will be energized over the leads X, Y and the common lead Z to move said switch wipers until they engage the non-energized terminals GI and G2, whereupon the motor will stop. The movement of the wipers I41 is transmitted to the wipers 98 and the latter will consequently come to rest on the row of terminals I49 associated with said terminals GI, G2. All six of the terminals I49 are shown connected to the conductors I02 leading to the instruments I841, I81) and I80 and therefore the latter will be joined, through the wipers 98, to the com- By following the preceding description with respect to the group of relays I24, it will be seen that when the switch contact A in the bank 32 is closed by the selection of the desired control element 40, the corresponding relay A3 of said group I24 will be energized to operate the switch 99 so that its wipers I-50 will stop on the control terminals Al, A2 and the wipers 97 will engage the associated row of terminals I5I, with the result that the instrument Ifia will be connected, over conductors I! and through said wipers 91, to the common buses I BI, and therefore interconnected to all three instruments IBa, I81) and I80 which have been joined to said buses by the operation of switch I90. In the same manner, it will now be apparent that other combinations of instruments may be interconnected by the selection of the required control plates now in the magazine of theselector mechanism, and that by removing said plates and substituting others, still more combinations of interconnections may be accomplished. It also will be possible, by the addition of more sets of relays in the unit 21 and more switches in the switchboard I5 and by increasing the number of short slots 5| and contacts in the banks 3|, 32, to materially increase the number of combinations obtainable.

I claim:

1. In a switching system for selectively interconnecting a plurality of instrumentalities, the combination of signaling means, a plurality of normally open switch contacts, a selector mechanism controlled by said signaling means to selectively operate said switch contacts in various combinations thereof, a like plurality of relay means each operable by one of said operated switch contacts, and a plurality of electrically 12 operated switches positionable by said relay means to interconnectsaid instrumentalities in accordance with the selected operation of said switch-contacts.

2. In a switching system for selectively interconnecting a plurality of instrumentalities, the

combination of a plurality of signaling stations, a plurality of normally open switch contacts, a selector mechanism, signaling means'operable from one of said plurality of signaling stations, a manually settable switch "for interconnecting said selector mechanism and any one of said stations, said selector mechanism being controlled by said signaling means to selectively operate said-switch contacts in various combinations thereof, a plurality-of relays each individual to and operable by one of said switch-contacts, and:a pluralityof electrically operated switches :positi-onable 'by' said relays to interconnect said instrumentalities :in accordance with the :selected operation of said switch contacts.

3. In a switching system for selectively interconnecting a plurality of instrumentalities, the combinationof-a plurality-of signaling stations, a plurality of normally-open-switch contacts,,a selector mechanism,signaling means operablefrom one of said plurality 'of-signaling-stations, a manually settable switch for interconnecting said selector-mechanism and said signaling station, said selector mechanism being controlled by said signaling means to selectively operate said switch contacts in various combinations thereof, a plurality of rotary relays each individual to and operable by one of said switch contacts, and a plurality of electrically operated rotary switches positionable by said relay means 'to interconnect said instrumentalities in accordance with the se lected' operation of saidswitch contacts.

4. In a switching system for selectively interconnecting various combinations of a plurality of instrumentalities, the combination'with a selector mechanism wherein a plurality of control elements each individual tonne of said combinations is selectedto identify the same; of asignal transmitting means for activating said selector mechanism .to select one of said control elements, switching contacts controlled by said selector mechanism following the selection of said control element, relay means operated by said switching contacts, and switching means positionable by said relay means to interconnect said instrumentalities in accordance with the selected control element.

DONALD L. HERR.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

Images